
State of Decay 2’s story also left some fans disappointed when the game was released in 2018, with many players finding that they did not have the same attachment to the other characters as in the first game, making the risk of their permanent deaths less engaging. Most of the game’s exploration involved finding the many different items needed to sustain the player's base, frustrating fans who felt like they were ticking off items on a shopping list rather than experiencing the thrill of surviving a zombie apocalypse.


Many players felt the size of the world in the second game was not matched by the amount there was to actually do in that world. If State of Decay 3 is going to have an immersive open world, it needs to avoid some of the pitfalls of its predecessors. RELATED: How to Kill State of Decay 2 Juggernauts This suggests hunting mechanics, perhaps similar to those in games like Red Dead Redemption 2, which could hint that Undead Labs is going to be more ambitious when populating its open world than the series’ second outing. State of Decay 3's teaser doesn’t give fans of the series much information, but hints heavily that the game will include infected animals like the deer shown in the cinematic trailer.

This combined with the day and night cycle from State of Decay 2 could make for a terrifyingly immersive zombie apocalypse experience if done correctly. If the snowy forests of the teaser trailer are anything to go by, players will likely be able to explore a variety of environments, or at least experience different kinds of weather in the upcoming game. Many found the map in the second game to be repetitive and monotonous, so many fans of the series are likely hoping that State of Decay 3 can provide a more dynamic open world if it goes in that direction. While the first game was met with positive reviews, State of Decay 2’s bigger sandbox was not met without criticism by some fans.

Since the release of the first game for Xbox 360 and PC back in 2013, the State of Decay games have mostly been about exploring a large map to find supplies to protect the player’s base, fighting the different types of zombies that get in the way.
